khan
n. countablen. a title for a powerful leader or ruler in some Asian countries, especially in the past. It is most famous for being used by Mongol leaders like Genghis Khan.
n. a title given to rulers and officials in central Asia, Afghanistan, and certain other Muslim countries. Historically associated with the Mongol and Turkic empires, it now also serves as a common surname in South Asia.
The great Khan ruled over a vast empire.
Historians study how the Mongol Khan managed to unite various nomadic tribes under a single legal code.
The expansion of the empire under the Great Khan facilitated unprecedented trade and cultural exchange across the Silk Road, connecting the East with the West through a period of relative stability.
As a surname via Urdu خان (xān), Persian خان (xân), among others. As a title, a proper noun form of khan.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
When used as a specific title before a name, it is capitalized.
Last updated May 2, 2026